Pliable athletic foot guard

ABSTRACT

A foot guard to be worn with a shoe comprising an upper and a sole, said foot guard comprising: an upper comprising at least one pliable shock absorbent protective layer that covers the shoe; a top opening; and a bottom opening. The at least one protective layer comprises a plurality of protective strips protruding outward from the at least one protective layer that are raised with respect to the level of the at least one protective layer; extending from the bottom of one side of the upper, over the top of the upper, and down to the bottom of the opposite side of the upper; and ranging from the toe portion of the upper to the top opening. The protective strips and rows of the at least one protective layer are arranged in adjacent rows in an alternating pattern. The protective strips comprise a pliable shock absorbent material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 15/821,812, filed on Nov. 23, 2017.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable

DESCRIPTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a protective device that is attachable to a wearer's shoe to protect the wearer's foot from impact. More specifically, the present invention relates to a protective device for an athlete's foot that is attachable to spiked and cleated baseball and softball shoes to protect baseball and softball player's feet from incidental impact while batting.

Background of the Invention

About half of professional baseball players use one of two prevalent forms of foot guards that removably attach to the player's shoe while batting. Both forms are rigid and made of plastic or a combination of plastic and gel or foam padding. The potential for serious injury resulting from incidental impact from an errantly batted baseball hit directly from the bat to the batter's foot is always looming, during games as well as practice, and the aforementioned foot guards are very effective but also very rigid and restrictive. This restrictive characteristic breeds a large group of elite athletes who are choosing to forego protecting their feet for the sake of comfort and success on the field.

These players prefer zero hindrance and restriction as they transfer from swing to sprint. They also prefer to have their comfort and “feel” for the game unencumbered while batting. The “feel” is extremely important as baseball is a game that is played with the mind as much as it is with the body. The batter's front foot is the timing mechanism for the release of the swing. The front foot acts like an antenna sensing the speed and location of the pitch and, once it is repositioned or replanted on the ground, the swing is initiated. Batters do not like this “feel” and sense of timing being hindered or irritated whatsoever (no matter how frivolous or trivial the hindrance may be to those outside the game). The batter's results are negatively affected by anything they consider a hindrance or distraction. This is why many players forego using the rigid foot guards currently available while batting. These athletes consistently would rather compromise their safety, health, and longevity in their sport for the sake of comfort, peace of mind, and success on the field because they feel somewhat hindered physically, and therefore to a much greater extent mentally, by the rigid and cumbersome foot guards currently available. They prefer to have full range of mobility and flexion of their feet both during games and practice.

As previously mentioned, there have been several attempts to protect the feet of baseball and softball players without impeding or disturbing their mobility, “feel”, and results, and there have also been several patents attempting to achieve the same goal. A few of these products have achieved considerable popularity and commercial success. However, they all suffer from the same previously described disadvantage: a rigid or semi-rigid construction that hinders and irritates the natural mobility and flexion of the athlete's foot. The common foot guards for baseball and softball used currently, as described herein, are referenced, for example, in the following United States patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,718A Reed; U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,493A Mues; U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,060A Brncick, Moritz Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,476A Bertrand, Seyler; U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,939A Schramm; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,195A Foreman. The focus of these referenced foot guards is to prevent even the most minimal negative effect resulting from incidental impact, even slight bruising, and, for this objective, they are very effective at the cost of being bulky, rigid, and cumbersome for the players to wear over their shoes while batting. A large group of baseball and softball players that are sensitive to these negative qualities is being overlooked.

Thus, a device is needed that is a pliable, lightweight, and shock absorbent form of protective equipment for the baseball and softball player's foot that conforms to the shape of the athlete's shoe as if it is an integral part of the athlete's shoe and provides protection against incidental impact, primarily from errantly batted baseballs and softballs hit directly from the bat to the baseball and softball player's feet, and against potential resulting serious injury, such as severe bruising and broken bones, while also allowing for the complete range of mobility and flexion of the athlete's foot while batting and running during games and practice, on-field and multi-surface applications alike.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a foot guard to be worn with a shoe, having an upper and a sole, to protect the wearer's foot from impact. The foot guard comprises an upper comprising at least one pliable shock absorbent protective layer that covers the shoe. The upper further comprises a top opening allowing the shoe to enter the foot guard and a bottom opening having a perimeter that is defined by the perimeter of the sole of the shoe. The at least one protective layer comprises a plurality of raised protective strips protruding outward from the at least one protective layer, which are raised in height with respect to the level of the at least one protective layer. The protective strips extend from the bottom edge of one side of the upper of the foot guard, over the top of the upper of the foot guard, and down to the bottom edge of the opposite side of the upper of the foot guard. The protective strips cover at least a part of the forefoot portion of the upper of the foot guard and range from the toe portion of the upper of the foot guard to the top opening of the upper of the foot guard.

The protective strips are arranged in rows in an alternating pattern with one row of the raised protective strips followed by and adjacent to a row of the at least one protective layer at the original level of the at least one protective layer; said row of the at least one protective layer at the original level of the at least one protective layer is followed by and adjacent to another row of the raised protective strips, which is subsequently followed by and adjacent to another row of the at least one protective layer at the original level of the at least one protective layer; and so on in a repeating pattern. The raised protective strips comprise a pliable shock absorbent material.

The protective strips may comprise an aramid material. The protective strips may comprise neoprene. The protective strips may be fastened to the at least one protective layer. The protective strips may be fastened to the at least one protective layer using stitching. The protective strips may be fastened to the at least one protective layer using an adhesive fastener.

The upper of the foot guard may comprise at least one eye fastener fastened to and extending from the lowermost edge of the perimeter of the bottom opening of the upper of the foot guard.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shock absorbent protective device for a person's foot that is worn with the user's shoe and protects the foot from impact and potential resulting injury while having minimal irritating effect on the natural mobility and flexion of the user's foot.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective device for a person's foot that is pliable and lightweight, that conforms to the shape of the user's shoe, and that protects at least part of the forefoot portion of the user's foot.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective device for the feet of baseball and softball players who are negatively affected by the use of rigid protective devices and that may be used with spiked and cleated baseball and softball shoes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some of the objects and features of the present invention have been described above. The present invention may best be understood with reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the foot guard in accordance with an embodiment of the invention illustrating the raised protective strips;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the foot guard of FIG. 1 further illustrating the raised protective strips; and

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the foot guard of FIG. 1 illustrating the at least one eye fastener that may be fastened to the lowermost perimeter edge of the bottom opening of the foot guard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description and accompanying drawings address a foot guard for use with footwear, specifically shoes comprising an upper and a sole. Various embodiments of the foot guard may be created. Embodiments of the foot guard may be used in a variety of applications. Embodiments of the foot guard may be used with a variety of footwear, including athletic shoes, such as baseball and softball shoes, and a variety of non-athletic shoes, such as work boots. The following embodiment may be intended more specifically for use with general athletic shoes, including spiked and cleated baseball and softball shoes, used during activities related to baseball and softball.

FIGS. 1-3 illustrate an embodiment of the foot guard 1. The foot guard 1 comprises an upper 2 comprising at least one pliable shock absorbent protective layer 3 that covers the user's shoe. The upper 2 further comprises a top opening 4 allowing the shoe to enter the foot guard 1 and a bottom opening 5 having a perimeter defined by the perimeter of the sole of the shoe, allowing the sole of the shoe to be exposed. Thusly, the foot guard 1 does not hinder any traction element located on the sole of the shoe. In this manner, the foot guard 1 may slide onto the user's shoe much like a glove slides onto a hand. The user's shoe may enter the top opening 4 of the foot guard 1, and the upper 2 of the foot guard 1 may slide over and engage with the upper of the user's shoe. The at least one protective layer 3 comprises a plurality of raised protective strips 6 protruding outward from the at least one protective layer 3, which are raised in height with respect to the level of the at least one protective layer 3. The protective strips 6 extend from the bottom edge of one side of the upper 2 of the foot guard 1, over the top of the upper 2 of the foot guard 1, and down to the bottom edge of the opposite side of the upper 2 of the foot guard 1. The protective strips 6 cover at least part of the forefoot portion of the upper 2 of the foot guard 1 and range from the toe portion of the upper 2 of the foot guard 1 to the top opening 4 of the upper 2 of the foot guard 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1-2, the protective strips 6 are arranged in rows in an alternating pattern with one row of the raised protective strips 6 followed by and adjacent to a row of the at least one protective layer 3 at the original level of the at least one protective layer 3; said row of the at least one protective layer 3 at the original level of the at least one protective layer 3 is followed by and adjacent to another row of the raised protective strips 6, which is subsequently followed by and adjacent to another row of the at least one protective layer 3 at the original level of the at least one protective layer 3; and so on in a repeating pattern. The protective strips 6 comprise a pliable shock absorbent material. In this manner, the raised protective strips 6 provide added protection to the foot guard 1, and the spaces in between the raised protective strips 6, occupied by the rows of the at least one protective layer 3 at the original level of the at least one protective layer 3, allow for flexibility between the rows of protective strips 6 and, thusly, added flexibility overall to the foot guard 1.

The protective strips 6 may vary in width and height. The rows of the at least one protective layer 3 at the original level of the at least one protective layer 3 may also vary in width and height. The height of the at least one protective layer 3 is always less than the height of the raised protective strips 6.

The upper 2 of the foot guard 1 may comprise several pliable shock absorbent protective layers 3. The thickness of the at least one protective layer 3 may vary. However, it may be advantageous for the at least one protective layer 3 to be constructed as thin as possible, without compromising its protective qualities, so as to avoid bulkiness and to have minimal irritating effect on the natural mobility and flexion of the foot. Furthermore, the thickness of the raised protective strips 6 may also vary. However, again, it may be advantageous for the protective strips 6 to be constructed as thin as possible, without compromising their protective qualities, so as to avoid bulkiness and to have minimal irritating effect on the natural mobility and flexion of the foot. Additionally, it may be advantageous for the foot guard 1 to be constructed as light weight as possible so as to have minimal negative effect on the mobility and comfort of the user's foot.

The protective strips 6 may comprise an aramid material, such as Kevlar®. The protective strips 6 may comprise neoprene. The protective strips 6 may comprise any number and combination of pliable shock absorbent materials. In addition, the protective strips 6 may be fastened to the at least one protective layer 3, using a variety of fastening methods. The protective strips 6 may be fastened to the at least one protective layer 3 using stitching. The protective strips 6 may also be fastened to the at least one protective layer 3 using an adhesive fastener. The at least one protective layer 3 and the raised protective strips 6 may also be formed out of one mold.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the upper 2 of the foot guard 1 may comprise at least one eye fastener 7 fastened to and extending from the lowermost edge of the perimeter of the bottom opening 5 of the upper 2 of the foot guard 1. In an embodiment of the foot guard 1, several eye fasteners 7 may be used. The at least one eye fastener 7 may allow for at least one spike or cleat on the sole of a spiked or cleated baseball or softball shoe to pass through the at least one eye fastener 7 uninterrupted, further allowing the at least one eye fastener 7 to releasably engage with the at least one spike or cleat. In this manner, the at least one eye fastener 7 may serve as a method of securing the foot guard 1 to a spiked or cleated shoe. Additionally, the at least one eye fastener 7 may comprise a flexible material, such as rubber or flexible plastic. The at least one eye fastener 7 may also comprise a rigid material, such as metal or non-flexible plastic.

Various methods of securement may be used to adequately secure the foot guard 1 to the user's shoe depending on the foot guard's 1 specific application and which of the methods of securement provide the most effective and least encumbering securement. The foot guard 1 may be removably or fixedly attached to the user's shoe. Furthermore, the foot guard 1 may be constructed in one piece.

Moreover, with regard to any embodiment of the invention, the foot guard 1 may be constructed in different sizes that reflect and correspond to the different sizes of the user's shoe, such that the foot guard 1 consistently matches the size and shape of the user's shoe. For example, sizes small, medium, and large may each represent and correspond to a specific range of shoe sizes. The foot guard 1 may also be constructed to correspond to each specific shoe size for a more customized fit. A one-size-fits-all construction may also be advantageous. The foot guard 1 may be constructed for a right-footed and left-footed shoe, respectively, and may also be constructed for a right-footed and left-footed shoe, interchangeably, depending on what is more effective and advantageous.

While embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to these embodiments, and it is to be understood that changes and modifications could be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention. 

I claim:
 1. A foot guard to be worn with a shoe comprising an upper and a sole, said foot guard comprising: an upper comprising at least one pliable shock absorbent protective layer that covers the shoe; a top opening in said upper allowing the shoe to enter the foot guard; a bottom opening in said upper having a perimeter that is defined by the perimeter of the sole of the shoe; and said at least one protective layer comprising a plurality of protective strips protruding outward from the at least one protective layer that are raised in height with respect to the level of the at least one protective layer; extending from the bottom edge of one side of said upper of the foot guard, over the top of the upper of the foot guard, and down to the bottom edge of the opposite side of the upper of the foot guard; covering at least part of the forefoot portion of the upper of the foot guard; and ranging from the toe portion of the upper of the foot guard to the top opening of the upper of the foot guard; wherein said protective strips are arranged in rows in an alternating pattern with one row of the raised protective strips followed by and adjacent to a row of said at least one protective layer at the original level of the at least one protective layer; said row of the at least one protective layer at the original level of the at least one protective layer followed by and adjacent to another row of the protective strips which is subsequently followed by and adjacent to another row of the at least one protective layer at the original level of the at least one protective layer; and so on in a repeating pattern; and wherein said protective strips comprise a pliable shock absorbent material.
 2. The foot guard of claim 1, wherein said protective strips comprise an aramid material.
 3. The foot guard of claim 1, wherein said protective strips comprise neoprene.
 4. The foot guard of claim 1, wherein said protective strips are fastened to said at least one protective layer.
 5. The foot guard of claim 4, wherein said protective strips are fastened to said at least one protective layer using stitching.
 6. The foot guard of claim 4, wherein said protective strips are fastened to said at least one protective layer using an adhesive fastener.
 7. The foot guard of claim 1, wherein said upper of the foot guard comprises at least one eye fastener fastened to and extending from the lowermost edge of the perimeter of said bottom opening of the upper of the foot guard. 